


The Caves of Grot

by Number_Twelve



Series: Tales of Thra [1]
Category: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: Action, Angst, Gen, Happens during the Age of Resistance, Loads of running, New characters (yay!) and species (double yay!)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:20:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24394918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Number_Twelve/pseuds/Number_Twelve
Summary: The caves of Grot have become poisoned. Nothing is like it used to be. A new age is arising. A new future is being planned. But will Gelfling be part of it?
Series: Tales of Thra [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1761535
Kudos: 1





	The Caves of Grot

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JulieJewel24](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JulieJewel24/gifts).



> I got this idea and I couldn't drop it. Pls enjoy!  
> Oh, and BTW, to JulieJewel24 because it was her story that triggered this one :)

Maya's mind was filled with screams of 'RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!'. She tripped with a rock and rolled out of the way as the Nurloc attempted to make a grab for her. The terrified Gelfling scrambled to her feet and made a mad dash for a great slab of stone, ducking behing it to catch her breath and try to steady her trotting heart. The Nurloc bellowed with rage and Maya shut her eyes tightly.  
What was wrong with it? Nurlocs were supposed to be friendly, moss-eating creatures, not... Gelfling hunters! Maya's ears pricjed up and she rolled away just in time when the Nurloc barreled with the slab of stone she had been hiding behind. 

"Oi! Calm DOWN!" Maya screamed at it. It didn't seem to listen to her, but it did hear her, turning its head to look at her with eerie, purple eyes. Eyes that she had never seen a Nurloc have. She was jolted back to reality as the animal lunged for her, forcing her to dodge out of the way, her bare feet slapping on the cold stone ground as she dashed for a safe spot to take shelter in. She found herself wishing she had functional wings; really, it was a waste to have them but only be able to use them to glide small distances! The Gelfling was abruptly returned to reality by another bellow coming from her persecutor. She jumped over fallen stones and urgently looked around for a escape route. 

"MAYA!" she spotted Auri, her sister, standing at the entrance of a tunnel. Maya changed her directions to run toward her, the Nurloc close on her tail. As soon as she reached Auri, the younger Gelfling grabbed both her arms and spread open her wings, taking off with agility before the Nurloc had a chance to register that its prey was getting away.

"Are you okay?!" Auri shouted as she dodged the wicked-looking stalactites.

"I think so?!" Maya shouted up at her. Below them, she could see Gelfling from the Grottan Clan going about their days. Auri swooped down and set Maya down on a large outcropping on the cave wall, easily landing next to her elder sister.

"Why was that Nurloc chasing you?" She asked her.

"I don't know." Maya replied, brushing pale strands of hair from her face. "It wasn't acting like a Nurloc and that's a thing."

"I noticed." Auri said with a sad nod. "I think we should tell the others about it. It's the second time it happens this week."

"Is it?" Maya asked, surprised.

"Yeah. Remember Asloan? He broke a leg while he ran from one. The thing nearly killed him when it just... I don't know. It just dropped dead." Auri said wirh a shuddder. "I have this weird feeling inside my gut. It's telling me that something… wrong." Maya hoped that it was just Auri's gut and not something real. She patted her sister's shoulder.

"Let's head back home. I assume that Granny is waiting for us to have dinner." she said. Auri unfolded her wings and grabbed Maya's arms, flying both of them down to the main ground where everyone else was. Maya often envied that her sister's wings worked. She often wondered why her own didn't work well unless there was a strong breeze to keep her up. Maya would like to know how it felt to fly properly for once. The two sisters began to walk up to what they knew was they Grandmother's house. It was mostly dug into the stone, with a hide curtain covering the entrance. On their way to the entrance, they were greeted by passing Grottan Clan members. They were not the biggest clan, but there were plenty of them. But lately, a few Gelfling had gone missing. At first, it hadn't been to worrying... but then, after Deet, a young Grottan Gelfling, dissapeared, not everyone was sure about it.

Maya and Auri reached their small house and parted the courtain, ducking inside. Maya liked their home; it was what she called home and the sight often made her feel welcome and loved. Their parents had died long ago, so their grandmother had taken up the duty to raise the two Gelfling. She currently sat at her rocking chair, stitching a small pouch out of some animal's skin. Whsn her granddaughters came in, she looked up from her work with a great smile. Like both Auri and Mays, she had pale hair and darker skin, with the same big eyes and ears. The only differences were the age, the wrinkles left behind by the years, and her personality.

"Ah, the two of you are back!" she said, standing up. Her joints creaked as she did and both sisters hugged her.

"Granny, Maya got attacked by a Nurloc." Auri said. Their grandmother frowned.

"A Nurloc? But-" she was cut off by a sudden volley of screams coming from outside. Maya heard a very familiar bellow.

"Oh no." she whispered.

"Oh no." she whispered, tears springing to her eyes. The Grottan settlement was absolutely destroyed, houses caved in by the massacre that had struck. Maya looked back at Auri, whose hands were clasped over her mouth, tears wetting her eyes.

"Granny?" she whispered.

"Quick! We have to get out of here!" Granny said. She leaded the way surprisingly swiftly to the entrance, the younger Gelfling hurrying to keep up. The eldery Grottan parted the curtain and dashed outside, looking back to see if the other two were following. Maya jumped out and looked sideways to see the Nurlac that had attaced her rip its way around houses, throwing unfortunate Gelfling out of the way. That was not it. Behind it, Maya could see other Nurlacs tearing after it. Granny grabbed her shoulder and pushed her away from the sight, shouting at her to run into the tunnels. Maya found Auri's hand and the three Gelfling ran for their lives.

"What are we going to do?!" 

"What are we going to do?!" Auri sobbed, tears falling. Maya hugged her sister, her own body trembling. She had to stay strong for her sister's sake. She couldn't break now. Not when Auri needed her here.

"Faster!" Granny cried out behind them. Maya was running as fast as her legs could allow her, propelled by the roars of the creatures behind her. She wished she could squeeze her eyes shut, but then she would trip and fall. So she ran, Auri's hand clasoed in hers and Granny being able to keep a couple of paces behind. Ahead of them, Gelfling were ducking into the tunnels and into what they hoped was safety. That was the spot they had to reach. Maya squeezed Auri's hand and the later did the same. Soon they were ducking into one of the tunnels. At least another twenty or so Gelfling had gone through that tunnel, and more were streaming through, either flying or just running. Maya and Auri slowed down.

"Hang on. Where's Granny?" 

"Where's Granny?" Auri whispered as both Gelfling carefully approached the destroyed zone. There were dead bodies of Nurlocs here and there, at least two or three lying over destroyed homes. Maya couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for the dead creatures. She could hear fain belows from the tunnels. They had to get going soon.

"Granny? GRANNY?!" Auri shouted, letting go of Maya's hand.

"Wait! She will come." Maya said. But she wasn't as confident as she wished she could be. She grabbed Auri's hand, pulling her away from the pushing mass of Gelfling running past them. Both of them stood huddled toguether. 

"What are you doing?! You have to get out of here!" an adult Gelfling cried, seeing them.

"Our Granny-" 

"If she was with you, then she must be close by. Come on!" the older Gelfling pushed them both up the tunnel and they had to obey, running ahead of him, hands tightly gripping each ither as they ran.

They reached safety.

But half their village had not. As Maya looked at the remains of the settlement, she could feel the tears fighting to get free.

Something was going on. She could feel it. Auri had been right. Something was extremily wrong.


End file.
